August 26, 2008

Green IT: Is It More than Hype?: "Green IT, according to the Gartner research firm, has just about reached the peak of its hype cycle, what Gartner calls the 'Peak of Inflated Expectations.' Soon, Gartner says, comes the Trough of Disillusionment. But as I explain in my blog, Gartner has got it very wrong."

August 05, 2008

AT&T to Join Green Grid, Help EPA Develop Data Center Rating: "As part of the consortium working to help boost energy efficiency in IT -- especially in data centers -- the telecom's AT&T Services division will supply data center performance to shape a forthcoming Energy Star rating for Data Centers."

July 01, 2008

My Kenwood in-dash nav/audio unit has a problem with audio via bluetooth from the iPhone. Basically, the incoming audio is great, but the outgoing is horrible. After writing to Kenwood for a month I finally got an answer that was better then "this is a known issue".

Wonder if the 3G phone will have this problem also?

The Kenwood Answer...

Thank you for contacting Kenwood USA Corporation. As an authorized agent for Kenwood, we are responding to your recent email inquiry.

The problem you are having is due to the IPHONE itself. The IPHONE does not save any bluetooth settings from a more complex device other than the standard earpiece. You will have to switch from Hands Free to Private and back to Hands Free. This will enable the IPHONE to work properly for just that call. You will have to repeat the process on every call. Again, it’s the IPHONE that does not save the bluetooth settings. The IPHONE is having similar issues on most bluetooth devices on the market.

We are trying to find a solution for the problem. I have added your contact information to our list. Once we find a solution, we will forward you the information.

June 25, 2008

3d virtual reality adoption in the consumer marketplace, particularly the home, has been limited by three primary factors. First, the technology needed to display 3d virtual reality has been expensive and not integrated into consumer electronic devices. Second, the interfaces to achieve 3d have been cumbersome in specific those associated with active stereo display. Third, the bandwidth necessary to move highly accurate models has been limited to the home.These characteristics coupled with little "mass" exposure to 3d virtual reality immersion have effectively killed the home from being a virtual reality marketplace.

However, within the past two years there have been remarkable shifts that remove some of these technological obstacles along with an increased interest in 3d as a viewing experience. Perhaps the greatest indicator of consumer interest in these types of environments for entertainment could be seen in the box office success of the 3d animated feature Beowulf which grossed $82 million. [1]

From a technological standpoint, more vendors, driven by potential consumer entertainment interest, are integrating 3d virtual reality capabilities into consumer televisions which function as the monitor home entertainment computer. This integration on the consumer end also comes with a maturation of tools allowing for easier creation of 3d objects. [2] Finally, there is a persistently increasing broadband capability in the United States. Current estimates place broadband penetration at about 57% for all households.[3]